Envelope folding and gluing machine



y 16, 19 K. SIERAI 2,349,056

ENVELOPE FOLDING AND GLUING MACHINE Filed Aug. 8, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet l a BY W 2 ATTORNEY May 16, 1944. SERAI 2,349,056

ENVELOPE FOLDING AND GLUING MACHINE Filed Aug. 8, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 00000 OO'OOUDOOO I INVENTOR. (\R QV-A BY HTTORA/EY INVENTOR.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 K. SERAI Filed Aug. 8, 1942 ENVELOPE FOLDING AND GLUING MACHINE DQOOOOOO 000000000 May 16, 1944.

ATTORNEY Patented May 16, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENVELOPE FOLDING AND GLUING MACHINE tion of Hawaii Application August 8, 1942, Serial No. 454,127

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to envelopeforming machines and more particularly to folding and gluing mechanism for such machines.

A general object of the invention is to provide novel apparatus of the type mentioned which is capable of automatically operating upon an elongated paper web, while advancing it, to convert successive portions of the web into envelopes.

A further object is to provide such apparatus which is suited for the automatic performance of certain envelope-forming steps in the manufacture of recording form strips of the type shown and} described in Young Patent No. 2,304,523, dated December 8, 1942. I

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the ensuing particular description, in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a plan view of the reverse face of a paper blank for use in apparatus of the invention, showing from right to left successive changes in the blank effected by the machine in forming therefrom a series of connected envelopes;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view ofenvelope-forming apparatus of the invention as viewed from the front;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the entrance end of the apparatus, with the front side of the apparatus at the top of the view;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of that part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the delivery end of the apparatus, joining Fig. 3 along the vertical dot dash line to give a complete plan view of the apparatus;

Fig. 'l is a side elevation of that part of heapparatus shown in Fig. 6;

Fi 8 is a vertical section view on the line 8-8 of Fig, 6;

Fig. 9 is a detail vertical section.

The embodiment of the machine shown in the drawings is arranged for the automatic continuous performance of certain envelope-forming steps in the manufacture of recording envelope strips of a type disclosed in the aforesaid Patent No. 2,304,523. The several parts of the machine and their operation will be more readily understood by a preliminary reference to Fig. 1 which shows, from right to left, a blank undergoing the successive operations of the machine. The blank progresses through the machine in the direction indicated by arrows in Figs. 1 and 2, being introduced to the machine at the entrance end of the machine on the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, and on the left, as viewed in Fig. 3.

The blank as it comes to the machine comprises a flat elongated paper web in having opposite margins A and B, along the former of which extends a row of pin feed apertures l2. The blank is divided at uniformly spaced intervals into units C by transverse lines of perforation H extending from the margin A part way to the margin B and by cuts, to be described, extending from the said perforations It to the margin B so that the units C may later be separated from each other. Extending longitudinally of the blank is a line of perforations l6 dividing each of the units C into portions D and E. The portion E, which is considerably larger than portion D, is formed by the machine into an envelope, as indicated at E at the far end of the blank in Fig. 1. Portion D is a receipt attached to the envelope and separable therefrom along the line of perforations IS.

The aforesaid cuts consist of a out line l8 extending parallel to the line of perforations H but offset therefrom and communicating therewith by a small longitudinally extending-cut line 20. A corner of the margin B of each of the units C is removed along the diagonal out line 22 extending from out l8 to the margin B.

The line along which cuts 20 are made, if extended, would divide the portion E of each unit into two smaller portions e and e. The illustrated embodiment of the apparatus of the invention is adapted to form an envelope by folding the portion e upon the portion e to form the back and front walls of the envelope and adhesively securing the walls together without separating the units C from each other or the envelope E from the receipt portion D. The operations performed upon the blank by my preferred apparatus illustrated are as follows:

A transverse crease or score line 24 is formed as a continuation of the perforation H, in alignment therewith, and extends to the diagonal cut 22, de-- fining, with cuts l8 and 20, an end flap .1. A longitudinal crease or score line 26 is formed along the margin B of the blank and extends the full length of the unit C to form a longitudinal flap y. Flaps a: and y are bent first upwardly, as shown at :c' and y, and then inwardly, as shown at x and y, to overlie the wall portion e of the blank, after which the wall portion e is folded upwardly along a line in alignment with the cuts 20 and the line of the told is scored, as shown at 3,0. Glue is applied to the portion e in such a pattern that when the folding of portion e upon portion e is completed flap :1: will be adhered to portion e by glue line 32 and flap 1! will be adhered to wall portion by glue line 34. Pressure is then applied and the completed blank is delivered from the machine.

I have illustrated in Figs. 2 to 8 inclusive my preferred apparatus for performing the abovedescribed operations on the paper blank I0. The machine has a frame including a blank supporting bed I00 mounted on legs I02 and bounded by the side wall members I04 and I05. The blank I0 is continuously and uninterruptedly advanced over the bed I00 by feeding mechanism to be described and consisting essentially of advancing pins suitably driven and received within the apertures I2 along the margin A of the blank. The blank is guided during its advancing movement by the pins and also by contact of margin A of the blank with the side wall member As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, the blank is first received between rolls H0 and H2. Roll H2 is preferably of rubber and the uppermost portion of its periphery is received by a slot H4 in the bed I00 to engage the blank. Roll I I0 has a blade II6 rotruding from its surface and extendin transversely of the blank adapted to score the blank along the line 24 to define the flap :r. The circumference of the roll H0 is equal to the length of a unit C of the blank and the blade H6 is properly positioned to dispose the score line 24 in alignment with the perforations I4.

The roll H0 is also provided with a scoring disc 2I which is disposed at such distance from the side frame member I06 as to form the score line 26 defining the flap 1 The length of lower roll H2 is sufflcient to support that portion of the blank impressed by the scoring disc 2|.

As the blank advances beyond the rolls H0 and H2 the flap a: encounters a lip Ila upturned from the supporting surface of the bed I00 and is deflected upwardly thereby, as illustrated best in Fig. 5.

Disposed in the path of the advancing, upturned flap a: is a second lip I24 forming part of a member I20 pivoted at I22 to the frame. The weight of member I20 causes lip I24 to rest on the upper surface of the advancing blank I0 to insure that flap a: is picked up by lip I24. The pressure of flap 2 against lip I24 as the blank advances causes member I20 to rotate around its pivot I22 from its full to its dotted line position shown, during which rotation flap a: continues to bend backwardly. As the fold line 24 advances while the lrading edge of flap 1:, moving up lip I24, is restrained, flap a: bends backwardly to the position indicated in dotted lines. Because of the rotational movement of member I20 during this operation the blank as a whole is not induced to leave the bed of the machine, as might be the case if member I26 were immovably secured.

Before the flap :1: passes completely beyond the lip I24 the fold line 24 enters the nip of a pair or rolls I20 and I28, preferably of metal and rubber respectively, in peripheral proximity to each other through the slot I30 in the bed I00. By means of these rolls the flap a: is completely bent backwardly through an angle of 180 from its initial position in the plane of the blank.

As soon as the flap releases lip I24, member I 20 rotates clockwise by its own weight to return to full line position.

Immediately after the blank has left rolls H0 and H2 and during the folding of flap x, as above described, flap 1/ is engaged by a. side folder bar I38 whose flap-engaging surface curves gently from a horizontal to a vertical position, assumed immediately prior to delivery of the blank to the rolls I26 and I26. The roll I20 has a side flange I34, the inner surface of which is spaced from the adjacent end of roll I26 to form a narrow channel adapted to receive the upturned flap 3 which channel the flap enters before it has entirely left the folder bar I30. I have found that the wiping movement of flange I34 against the outer surface of flap 1/ insures that the flap is always cleanly folded upwardly on the score line 26. Further folding of flap 1/ to its position contiguous to the wall portion e of the blank is completed immediately the blank leaves the rolls I28 and I20 by engagement of the flap 1 with a second folder bar I32 having an inner, flap-engaging surface which curve smoothly from an upright to a horizontal position, as shown best in Fig. 3.

The blank then passes between upper and lower pressure rolls I40 and I42 to apply pressure to the folded flap 1 and again to the folded flap 2:.

The strips of glue, or other adhesive. 02 and 24 are next applied by mechanism which may conveniently consist of a pot I44 containing a supply of adhesive picked up by a roll I46 immersed in the supply and disposed in peripheral contact with a transferrer roll I46 (Fig. 2) which engages the blank and has a rubber die of proper pattern to lay the strips 32 and 34. The roll I46 has a circumference equal to the length of a unit C of the blank. The paper is backed-up by a roll I49 during the application of adhesive.

When the adhesive has thus been applied to the portion a of the blank the portion e is engaged by an envelope folder bar I50, whose entrance end is shown in Fig. 3 and whose delivery end is shown in Fig. 6. The bar has a surface which contacts the part e of the blank and curves smoothly from a horizontal position to a vertical position at its delivery end to turn the part e vertically. To insure that the blank bends along a line in approximate alignment with the cuts 20, the blank is engaged by a bar I52 which, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, extends from the initial scoring rolls H0 and H2 to the delivery end of the envelope folder bar I50, bar I52 being interrupted when necessary to accommodate the rolls I40 and I42 and the adhesiveapplying mechanism.

While the portion e of the blank is held in approximately vertical position by the folder bar I50 the score line 30 is formed in the blank in alignment with the cut lines 20 by means of the scoring disc I54 cooperating with a lower roll I56 in a manner known in the art. Thereby a straight fold of portion e in alignment with cuts 26 is insured.

The side wall e of the blank is then folded onto the wall e' by the folder bar I60 having a blank-engaging surface which curves smoothly from a vertical to a horizontal position. The wall e is guided during this folding operation through arcuate guides I62 and the smoothness of this folding operation is enhanced by the auxiliary folders I10 and I12. The blank is then ilizgssed between upper and lower rolls I and In Fig. 6 I have indicated the wall portion e as having been so retarded by frictional engagement with the folder bar I60 that it is not folded accurately along the score line 30. To compensate for that condition should it occur, I provide a pusher member 402 (Fig. 9) adjustably mounted on rotating shaft "I by a set screw 468 and having a blade 404 which engages the trailing edge 408 of the wall portion a. The radial distance from the center of shaft "I to the portion of blade 404 which engages the edge 400 is slightly greater than the radius of roll I80 so that the blade advances slightly faster than the roll and thereby overtakes the edge 400 to advance the wall portion e". in the amount necessary to insure accurate folding along the score line 80 immediately prior to the engagement of the leading edge of the wall portion e by the rolls I86 and I82.

From the presser rolls I80 and I82 the blank I, which is still in manifold form with the individual units C connected by the lines of perforation II, is delivered to a collecting hopper I90. The hopper is arcuately shaped as shown in Fig. 2. The bottom of the hopper is in the form of a plate I92 carried by an arm I94 pivoted to the frame by pin I96 so that the arcuate movement of the plate conforms to the curvature of the hopper. The plate I92 is. urged upwardly by a spring I91, as shown in Fig. 6. In the specific construction illustrated, the arm I94 is rigidly connected at one end to the plate and at its other end to a rectangular piece I96 having opposite side walls I951: and I851) apertured to receive the pin I96 about which the piece I86 rotates. Spring I91 is connected at one end to the pin I96, as indicated at I81a, and at its other end to the side wall I981), as indicated at I81b. Thereby the rotational force of the spring I91 tends to elevate the plate I82 in the hopper.

The mouth I9I of the hopper is disposed slightly below the level of the bed of the machine (Fig. 7) so' that the blank automatically folds back and forth on itself at successive lines of perforation I4 as the blank falls into the hopper (Fig. 2). The weight of the accumulated folded blank is sufiicient to depress the bottom of the hopper and as the hopper fills the folded blank is removed through the open mouth I8I by the operative.

The blanks delivered to the hopper are thicker at the portion E than at the portion D. The function of the arcuate shape of the hopper I80 is to accommodate this extra thickness on one side of the stack of blanks and to insure that the uppermost blank is always disposed horizontally in a plane parallel to the bed of the machine.

The moving parts of the machine are driven in synchronism with each other from a common power source, indicated by the motor 200 having a power shaft 202 carrying a sprocket 204 around which is trained the chain 206 advanced by the motor in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4. The chain 206 is trained around a second sprocket 208 fixed to stud shaft 2I0 on which is also fixedly mounted the sprocket 2I2 around which passes the chain 2. The chain 2I4 advances in the direction shown by arrows and passes over idler sprocket 2I6 and returns around idler 2I8 (Fig. 7) at the delivery end of the machine. From sprocket 2I8 the chain passes over sprocket 220 fixed to shaft 222 carrying roll I80 and under sprocket 224 fixed to shaft 226 carrying roll I82 to rotate roll I80 counterclockwise and roll I82 clockwise. From the sprocket 224 chain 2 passes over sprocket 280 fixed to shaft 40I and thence around idlers 282 and 234 to sprocket 236 fixed to shaft 238 which carries roll I56 to rotate the roll in a clockwise direction. The creasing disc I54 is 75 wiping action of flange I84 rotated idly by frictionalengagement, with the paper, of a rubber roll 240 carried by shaft 242 on which creasing disc I64 is mounted.

From sprocket 236 .chain 2I4 passes around idler 246 (Fig. 4) and thence around sprocket 248 carried by shaft 250 on which the aforesaid glue application roll I48 is mounted, Pick-up roll I46 is driven from roll I48 by a chain 260 (see also Fig. 2) trained about a pair of sprockets, one fixed to the shaft 250 of application roll I48 and the other to shat 25I of pick-up roll I46.

From sprocket 248 chain 2 passes around sprocket 262 fixed'to shaft 264 on which presser roll I40 is mounted to rotate the roll counterclockwise, and from sprocket 262 the chain passes around sprockets 266 and 268 to rotate both in a clockwise direction. Sprocket 266 is fixed on the shaft which carries the back-up roll I49 and sprocket 268 is fixed to the shaft which carries the lower pressure roll I42.

From sprpcket 268 chain 2 passes over idler sprocket 210 and thence over sprocket 212 and under sprocket 214. Sprocket 212 is secured to the shaft which carries the upper presser roll I26 and sprocket 214 is fixed to the shaft which carries the lower presser roll I28.

' From sprocket 214 the chain passes over sprocket 280 and under sprocket 282. Sprocket 280 is fixed to'the shaft which carries the upper scoring roll H0 and sprocket 282 is fixed to the shaft which carries the rubber back-up roll H2.

The paper is advanced through the machine by pin feeding mechanism constructed and operated preferably as follows: The machine has three paper feed drives, of which the one shown in Fig. 8 is typical. A chain 300, carrying a series of pins 30I aligned to register with the holes I2 along the margin A of the paper blank, is trained over a pair of sprockets 302 and 304. The shaft 306 to which sprocket 304 is secured also carries a second sprocket 308 (Fig. 6) around which is trained a chain 3I0 encircling the sprocket 3I2 fixed to the shaft 226 driven as aforesaid by the chain 2. In this manner,

'as the sprocket 3I2 rotates, the pin-carrying chain 800 advances so that its pins pass into .registry with the holes I2 in the margin A of the paper to advance the paper. This paper feed as a whole is indicated generally at 320 and, as stated, the machine carries three such feeds which may be duplicates of the feed 320 and are indicated in Fig. 2 at 320, 822 and 324.

The diameters of the various sprockets comprising the drive above described are so related to the diameters of the rolls and other instrumentalities which they drive that the various moving parts of the machine operate in synchronism, as will be apparent to one familiar with this art.

The preferred embodiment of my invention, which has. been described above, is subject to some modification to suit the needs of individual users and my invention is not to be limited to the above-described details except as required by the appended claims. Thus, it might not under all circumstances be necessary to employ two successive sets of presser rolls, as I have indicated at I26, I28 and I40, I42, as either set alone may be employed to press down both infolded flaps z and 1!. However, I prefer the construction which I have herein disclosed and I have found that smooth infolding of flap y through an angle of is enhanced by the after flap 1 has been tumed upwardly 90. As a further variation, the adhesive could be appliedto the exposed surface of the flaps a and 11 after they have been completely infolded to their positions shown at :19 and 1/, but I have found that the operation of the machine is considerably expedited by applying the adhesive to the blank portion e.

If desired, the blank I entering the machine may previously have been provided with one or more of the score lines 24, 28 and 30 and any or all of the elements of the machine which I have described as forming those score lines may either be eliminated or, preferably, may beretained to score those lines again immediately prior to the folding and thereby insure accuracy of the crease locations.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for forming a strip of integrally connected envelopes from an elongated blank having along one side margin an integral row of longitudinally separated flaps each having an end portion severed from the contiguous body portion of the blank longitudinally of the blank, which includes the combination of feeding means for continuously advancing the blank in the direction of its length with said end portion of the flaps at the front thereof, means for infolding said end portion of said flaps on a line transverse to the direction of advance of' the blank onto the contiguous area of said flaps, means for infolding the outer side marginal portion of said flaps on a line parallel to the direction of ad vance of the blank onto the contiguous area of said flaps, and means for thereafter infolding said flaps on a line parallel to the direction of advance of the blank onto the contiguous body I portions of the blank and for sealing said infolded end and side marginal portions of said flaps to said body portions.

2. Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the feeding means includes pin feed means engageable with a longitudinal row of apertures provided in the blank adjacent its margin opposite the row of flaps.

3. Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the means for infolding the end and side marginal portions of the flaps includes means for scoring the flaps respectively transversely and longitudinally along the respective lines of fold for said portions.

4. Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the means for infolding the flaps includes means for scoring the blank longitudinally alon the line of fold for said flaps.

5. Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the means for sealing the infolded end and side marginal portions of a flap to the body portion of the blank contiguous to the flap includes means forapplying a transverse band and a longitudinal band of adhesive on the areas of said body portion respectively on which said end portion and said side marginal portion are received when said flap is infolded onto said body portion.

6. Apparatus, as described in claim 1 wherein the means for infolding the side marginal portion of the flaps and the means for infolding the flaps include stationary folder bars arranged along the path of advance of the blank.

7. Envelope forming apparatus which includes the combination of a support, means for advanc ing an envelope blank on said support, and means for folding a front flap of the blank rearwardly upon a transverse score line in the blank comprising a deflector member having an end disposed in the path of travel of the blank on the support to catch the front edge of the flap and deflect it away from the support, said deflector being yieldable outwardly under the pressure of the flap thereon as the blank continues to advance while yieldably urging said flap aganist said score line to cause said flap to bend rearwardly at said line until said line has advanced on the support beyond the front edge of the flap, and pressure means for pressing the rearwardly turned flap against the surface of the blank.

8. Envelope forming apparatus which includes the combination of a support, means for advancing an envelope blank on said support, and means for folding a 'front flap of the blank rearwardly upon a transverse score line in the blank comprising a deflector member pivoted above said support and having a forwardly and downwardly inclined portion below the pivot and a rearwardly and downwardly inclined lip at the lower end of said portion, said lip extending into the path of travel of the blank on the support to catch the front edge of the flap and deflect it upwardly from the support, said member being yieldable upwardly about said pivot under the pressure of the flap thereon as the blank continues .to advance on the support, said lip acting to hold said flap in engagement with the member until said score line has advanced on the support beyond the front edge of the flap, and means for pressing the rearwardly turned flap upon the surface of the blank.

9. Envelope forming apparatus which includes the combination of means for advancing an envelope blank, folder bar means engageable with a projecting side flap of the blank to turn said flap inwardly of the blank progressively as the blank advances, pressure means for pressing said turned flap upon the surface of the blank to complete the fold, and a pusher finger engageable with the rearward edge of the outer part of the flap when the flap is partially turned by said folder bar and prior to engagement of said pressure means with the flap to advance the outer part of the flap relative to its inner edge.

KHCHI SERAI. 

